Merry Christmas, Rukia
by F1yMordecai
Summary: It's Christmas time and students are getting ready for the White Winter Ball. Follow the IchiRuki and IshiHime pairing as they try to bring out their true feelings.


**Author's Notes:** This is a long one-shot and to eliminate conflicts, I took out some characters that would normally be there. This takes place in the real world, but not sure when in the story line. Just go with it ;-P

I am also on deviantART: http:// f1ymordecai. deviantart .com

(just take out the spaces to get the address)

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The halls were busy with the buzz of students in Karakura High School, eagerly chatting away at this winter's upcoming event.

"What's all the noise about?" Rukia Kuchiki asked her friend as they sat down for lunch.

"It's the White Winter Ball!" the bubbly orange haired girl answered, her brown eyes sparkling. Orihime Inoue was always happy and cheered up the room in an instant.

"Ball?" Rukia questioned. Visions of different sports activity balls ran through her head.

Orihime saw the confused look her good friend's face and sweetly explained. "It's a big dance. Like a festival, but you get to dress up in really pretty clothes and make yourself fancy and take pictures." She paused then added with a dreamy look on her face, "And go with a special guy…"

Rukia internally made a face. Even though she had been adopted by the noble Kuchiki family, she never really liked wearing formal clothes and going to the fancy events. It just wasn't in her nature to act prim and proper.

"It's fun!" Orihime said with a wide smile. Rukia smiled to be polite, then began eating her lunch.

Orihime chatted with the other girls at the desks for a bit, then pulled out a teen magazine and started pointing to different pages. Rukia's curiosity got to her and she couldn't help but look over to see what Orihime was going through.

"This is my favorite one," Orihime pointed, looking at Rukia. The dress was beautiful and not at all like a traditional formal gown. It was sleek and modern, with smooth lines that hugged the model's curves.

"You get to wear dresses like this?" Rukia asked Orihime in a whisper. The bubbly girl nodded with excitement.

"Well then, maybe I'll go."

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"So who are you asking to the dance, Kurosaki-kun?" the thin, pale boy asked, pushing up his glasses in the process.

"I'm not going," Ichigo Kurosaki replied. "School dances are so lame."

Uuryu Ishida scowled in his direction. "There's nothing wrong with the White Winter Ball! It's a school tradition!"

"Just because your fruity club does the decorations every year doesn't mean you have to get all defensive about it." Ichigo thrust his hands into his pockets. The air was cold up here on the roof, but he didn't want to hang around with the masses going on about the stupid dance.

"Make fun of my sewing club again and I will stitch your lips shut," Ishida warned, holding up a sharp needle. His eyes glinted with a deviant side. Ichigo didn't know whether or not he was kidding and decided not to push the Quincy.

"I'm going," Chad suddenly spoke up. Ishida and Ichigo immediately looked over at the large teenager with their mouths hanging open. "What?" he shrugged and folded his arms over his exceptionally large chest. "I like to dance."

Ishida and Ichigo's faces turned red until neither could hold back the laughter bubbling up inside them. "Chad, you dance?" Ichigo finally spat out between laughs.

"My Abuelo taught me," Chad said with a serious face. The two's laughter immediately died down; they knew what a sensitive subject Chad's grandfather was.

After a few moments, Ichigo broke the silence. "So I take it you're going to the dance, Ishida?"

"Of course, I'm in charge of decorations. I'm not missing out on all my hard work." He involuntarily pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose.

"I mean are you going with anyone?"

Ishida's face turned red. "I—I haven't decided yet," he stammered.

"Why don't you just fess up and ask her?" Ichigo badgered. They all knew who he was talking about.

"It's none of your business!" Ishida stood up, his hands forming into tight fists.

"So I guess all Quincy's are wusses like that," Ichigo teased.

"Screw you, Shinigami Scum!" Ishida said over his shoulder as he put on his backpack. He left the roof in a rush and hurried down to the classroom where the girls were eating lunch. _I'll show that jack-off who's the wuss…_

His heart pounded in his ears as he passed the desk where Orihime was sitting. He started to walk up to her, but quickly changed his mind and walked out of the room, mentally kicking himself down the hallway.

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"What are you up to," Ichigo asked, looking over Rukia's shoulder as she read intently.

Rukia snatched the magazine away from his view. "Looking for a dress, if you must know."

"Why are you looking for a dress?" He stuck his pinky finger in his ear to scratch. Such a nasty habit.

"For the White Winter Ball," she replied, returning her gaze to the magazine, making sure to keep his eye level away from the pages.

"Why are you going? Did someone ask you?"

"Well—no," she stammered. "But just in case."

"Why would you want to go to that lame ass dance?"

"What, aren't you going?"

"No, it's just a stupid dance."

"Well it means something to me!" she shouted at him, retreating to the closet, shutting the door with a hard slam.

"What the hell, Rukia! All I said was that it was stupid dance!" Ichigo tried to reason with the stubborn girl.

Rukia's face burned with rage. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "I've never been to a dance, okay?" She finally said, opening the closet door.

"Never been to a dance?"

"No," she shook her head. "I died when I was an infant, remember? The only things I've been to were the formal events held by the Kuchiki family."

"Oh," was Ichigo's only reply.

"So I'm going to the 'stupid' dance."

"With who?"

"Well, whoever asks me," she twirled her fingers together, hoping he would get the hint.

"Ah. Well have fun," he replied, moving to lie down on his bed.

Rukia could feel her face grow hot with embarrassment and anger. "Argh!" she huffed, and slammed the closet door shut. "Ichigo, you dumb jerk," she whispered to herself.

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It was the day before the dance, and Rukia decided to walk home with Orihime.

"Did anyone ask you to the White Winter Ball?" she asked Orihime.

"Someone did, but…" she trailed off.

"Not the right one?" Rukia finished.

Orihime nodded in disappointment. Ishida had talked to her a few times about the dance, but never asked her the one question she wanted to hear. Instead, he only talked about the decorations and if she liked the design he was working on. "What about you?" she asked the petite black-haired girl.

Rukia sighed, "Same here." Only no one had asked her in the first place.

A few moments passed, when suddenly Orihime stopped in her tracks and faced Rukia, grasping her strongly by the shoulders. "Why don't we just go together?" she practically yelled in her face.

Rukia's eyes went wide and her head sunk a little from the surprise. "Are you sure that's okay?"

"Sure!" Orihime smiled wide. "We both have dresses, don't you want to wear them?"

Rukia shrugged. She hadn't really planned that far ahead.

"Plus, Sado-kun, Ishida-kun and Keigo-kun are going alone, so we can always hang out with them!"

Rukia slightly smiled. Orihime's upbeat look on life was always refreshing.

"Then it's settled!" Orihime threw her hands in the air in triumph. "Meet at my place after school and we'll get ready and go together?" she asked Rukia.

"Okay."

Rukia always felt a little awkward when Orihime was overly excited about something, but she couldn't deny that Orihime's plan wasn't a bad idea. After all, she would get to wear that dress she spent some of her only Earth money on.

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"Oh wow," Orihime said as they entered the large open area in the school. The common room was expertly decorated. Ishida did not overlook a single detail.

Long streamers of white and silver hung from the top of the staircase that overlooked the center area where the dance floor was set up. Various sizes of large metallic ornaments came down from the steamers in a pattern, giving an illusion of bubbles rising up from deep water. Icicle lighting was all around them in blue, bathing the room in soft hue like a cloud. A mirrored ball spun slowly, reflecting the glass in random shapes around the room.

Ishida spotted her as soon as she and Rukia came into the room. God, she looked breathtaking. The white gown hung from her shoulders from thin spaghetti straps, emphasizing her chest, but not in a tacky way. The cut was higher, as not to reveal too much. The satin fabric bunched up to one side, cinching to her tiny waist. The rest bunched into a ruffled bustle along her backside like a French can-can dancer. The long fabric from the gown hung down to the floor, only showing her silver strappy sandals every other step. She wore her hair halfway up in a spiky bun, giving her ensemble a modern twist.

He cleared his throat, loosening his collar at the sight of her. Suddenly she spotted him from across the room and immediately headed in his direction. "Ishida-kun, it's beautiful!" she said with a genuine smile.

"I was about to say the same," he said aloud then blushed at the realization that she had heard him. Her face tinged pink and she looked into his dark eyes. It was now or never. Ishida cleared his throat again. "Do you want to dance?"

Orihime sweetly smiled and took his extended hand. "Of course." She gleamed at Rukia over her shoulder as Ishida pulled her onto the dance floor.

"Hey, Rukia-chan! Wanna dance?" an obnoxious voice rang out next to Rukia's ear.

Rukia turned to see Keigo, looking as goofy as ever. She threw her hands up into the air. "Why not? Let's go!"

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The night was winding down and Rukia was having a blast. She danced like a fool with Keigo, laughing at herself as she boogied. Chad was quite the dancer as it turned out, and took turns spinning Rukia and Orihime around the dance floor with Salsa moves. They both got so dizzy from the turns they almost fell down.

She danced until her feet were aching in the 3-inch heels Orihime insisted she buy—after all, they did make her much taller. By the end of the night, most of the students had left, leaving only Orihime slow dancing with Ishida to every song—no matter the tempo—and Chad twirling Keigo around the dance floor.

Rukia smiled with content, but was disappointed inside. She was having the time of her life, but the one boy she really wanted to dance with wasn't there. She kicked off her shoes and rubbed her swollen feet.

"Hey," she heard a voice say from behind. She immediately turned in her chair, and he was there.

Ichigo stood awkwardly a few feet from her, hands stuffed in his pockets as usual. He had hastily dressed, wearing jeans and converse with a red button down shirt, white blazer and black skinny tie. Not at all appropriate for a white tux affair, but it suited him perfectly.

She sat up straight in her chair. "What are you doing here?" she snapped, a mix of emotions rushing over her.

"I'm here at this stupid dance." He shuffled his feet and looked at the floor.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Because…" He looked away from her.

"Because why?" She wanted him to say it.

"Damn woman, you are so stubborn!" He yelled out. He took a deep breath and walked closer, reaching his hand down to hers. "I'm here because," he paused and he felt his cheeks turn pink. "Because it's your first dance. And you should have someone to dance with."

Rukia smiled and gently took his hand. It was warm and calloused from using his Zanpaktou. She stood up, stepping away from the chair and towards him. His other hand, clammy to the touch, grasped her waist, pulling her close. He looked at her, down into the pools of lavender that were her wide eyes.

_She really did get all dressed up for this._

And it had certainly paid off. Although disheveled from hours of dancing, she still looked great. She had tucked a large white rose with open petals over her ear, contrasting against the darkness of her black hair. Her dress was strapless, exposing her petite but strong frame and collarbone. The white dress was simple, coming down just above her knees, but a wide ribbon of red was tied around her waist, showing off her tiny figure and curves. The ribbon tied in the back in a large bow, the remaining fabric hanging down low to the back of her knees. It was fitting since the soul thread of a Shinigami was red.

Ichigo attempted to distract himself from staring at her. "Hey Shorty, why aren't you wearing those tall shoes you've been googley-eyed over the past few days? This height difference is weird."

"They hurt my feet. Deal with it." Rukia pulled him closer, reaching up to put her arms around his neck.

They swayed to the rhythm of the song, staying close together and enjoying the silence between them. When the song ended, Ichigo took her by the hand and lead her down one of the hallways in the school.

"What are you doing?" she finally asked, following behind him. The linoleum was cold under her bare feet.

He didn't speak, only lead her to a doorway and stopped.

"What is it, Ichigo? A hollow?" She looked around. Damn, her cell phone was in that tiny purse Orihime lent to her.

He let out a small laugh. "Look up," he said with a low voice.

Rukia looked up in the doorway to find a twig of a strange berry plant with white fruit. She furred her brow in confusion. "What is it?"

"It's mistletoe," he replied with a sly smile.

"What's mistletoe?"

"They say when two people get caught under the mistletoe, they are supposed to kiss." He raised his eyebrow at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Oh," she replied. Then she blushed when she fully understood what he meant. "OH!"

Ichigo cupped his hand underneath Rukia's chin and drew her towards him. He bent down so she didn't have to crane her neck and pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth was soft and tasted a bit spicy and sweet like gingerbread. He moved his mouth against hers, and she pressed her lips hard against his. His tongue begged her to open and she nervously complied. He gently explored the inside of her mouth, massaging his tongue against hers. She returned the favor, discovering the taste of his mouth, muted but soft and tart like a tangerine.

He pulled away from her and kissed her on her forehead. Rukia sighed with happiness, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.

"Merry Christmas, Rukia," Ichigo said, looking at her with those hypnotic brown eyes.

"About damn time, you jerk," she replied and pulled him down for another kiss.


End file.
